


Turn, Turn, Turn

by NyxEtoile, OlivesAwl



Series: Tales From the Tower [22]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Closure, Domestic Avengers, Epilogue, Gen, Next Generation, Prologue, Team as Family, young avengers - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-08
Updated: 2016-11-10
Packaged: 2018-08-29 22:18:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8507575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NyxEtoile/pseuds/NyxEtoile, https://archiveofourown.org/users/OlivesAwl/pseuds/OlivesAwl
Summary: She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. "As you may know, the previous administration green lit a few . . . questionable projects. One of these was a pet project of former Secretary Ross."

  With a tap on her computer the screen behind her lit up with the words "Enhanced Force." "Operation Enhanced Force was listed as a weapons R&D in the DOD database. In reality, it was a recruitment program for enhanced youth. An effort to create an Avengers team out of easily molded and controlled teenagers. It had six 'successes.' You met them in Siberia two years ago."





	1. A Time to be Born

**Author's Note:**

> This fic will serve as a epilogue to Tales and a prologue to the As-Yet-Unnamed-Spin-Off. It's three chapters and will post daily. When we post the first story of the new series we'll put a link at the end for people to follow.
> 
> Title and chapter names are from the Byrds' song Turn, Turn, Turn.

_2021_

The first olive branch arrived not long after the inauguration of the new president. Sharon deeply enjoyed the idea that Ross had lost his job, and given the campaign language, was hopeful there might be reasonable conversation to be had with the new administration. 

The new Secretary of State, a woman named Evelyn Coleman, had sent a message through the British Ambassador to Wakanda about opening formal diplomatic relations. In the intervening years, many nations had exchanged embassies with Wakanda, but the US hadn't due to the mess with the Avengers. (They were eventually given freedom of entry by most of the major powers and all of Europe, which only increased the stubborn irritation on the other side.)

Negotiations commenced, and T'Challa approved accepting an Ambassador from the US. The embassy was set up, staffed, and running by the spring. Unsurprisingly, meeting with the Avengers was high on the Ambassador's list. 

"They come to us," Steve said when Sharon told him. "I don't want anyone setting foot in the embassy."

"I agree." She rubbed a hand over her belly, pushing when she came to the elbow that was threatening to push through the skin. She was currently a month more pregnant than she had ever been with Joey and swore the little guy was trying to escape early. "I was wondering your opinions on attendance. They requested the whole team. I was going to inform them Bruce was officially retired and they can suck it. But the twins are still, technically, on the roster."

"I don't like the idea of a team meeting at all. If they give you a discussion agenda, I will consider giving them a meeting with Tony and I. We're not at the ambassador's beck and call."

She stifled a sigh. "Okay, I'll push back and get an agenda."

A call to the embassy got shuffled around a bit until she was on the phone with Evelyn Coleman herself. "I'll be honest, Mrs. Rogers," she said once greetings were out of the way. "It isn't the ambassador who wants to speak with you."

Sharon paused with her smoothie halfway to her mouth. " _You_ want a meeting?"

"I do."

"Our last meeting with the US Secretary of State did not end well."

"I am _not_ Thaddeus Ross."

The derision in the woman's voice earned her a modicum of respect. "I can't get you the whole team. We've been in Wakanda two years, people have lives, jobs, responsibilities. If you tell me what this is about-"

"It's sensitive. And for your ears only. I understand the entire roster is a big ask, but if I could at least speak to your husband and Mr. Stark and Dr. Newbury-Barnes, it would be enough."

Requesting Amanda was almost certainly a bad sign. More negotiation with Captain America it was. "Give me your direct line and I'll let you know what they say."

There was a pause. "Ambassador Lee has told me you're due to have a baby soon—and the circumstances of your firstborn were national news. I assume you don't want to travel but absolutely _do not_ want to say that. So, if you can promise me meetings, I can come to you in Wakanda." They both knew there was no way the Avengers were risking going to the US for a meeting, but if the Secretary had cared about power games, she could have insisted they meet somewhere neutral in Europe.

"That will go a long way to getting you meetings," she said honestly. 

"Talk to the team. Let me know."

"I'll be in touch, Secretary Coleman."

She found Steve and, conveniently, Tony at the play ground with Joey and the Stark twins. Steve jumped up and offered her a seat on the bench when he saw her. "I spoke to Secretary Coleman," she told them. "She wants the meeting, not Ambassador Lee. And she's willing to come here for it."

"To Wakanda?" he asked, and he and Tony exchanged a look.

"I got the impression she'd have it in the palace pool if it guaranteed her a meeting with us. She was feeling very conciliatory." Joey came running over and she bent awkwardly to kiss his cheeks. "She also said she didn't need the whole team and whoever we could spare was fine, but requested you two and Amanda specifically."

Tony commented, "It would make Pepper really happy if we could go back to the US sometimes."

Joey was now tugging on Steve and he bent to lift the toddler on his knee. "Did she give you an agenda?" he asked Sharon.

She shook her head. "Said it was sensitive and for our ears only. Wanting Amanda there adds a twist, but I couldn't guess as to what."

"I'm okay with it," Steve said. "As long as Amanda is."

Amanda tended to be pretty blasé about political maneuvering. And would almost certainly be curious about what was happening. So once Sharon got the thumbs up from her she called Coleman back and arranged the meeting. "I've confirmed Captain Rogers, Mr. Stark and Dr. Newbury, as well as myself," she told her. "I'll let you know the morning of if anyone else wants to tag along."

The relief in Coleman's voice was audible. "Thank you, Mrs. Rogers. I appreciate the opportunity."

It took a couple of weeks to get everything in order. The Secretary's visit ended up about a week before Sharon's scheduled c-section, done at 37 weeks due to the risks of her vertical scar. She was very grateful for the healthy 3rd trimester, but she'd also had no idea how uncomfortable she would be near the end.

It could be worse, last year Wanda had gone a week overdue with twins. She was about as wide as she was tall.

T'Challa's people were dealing with greeting the Secretary and taking her to the room so Sharon had a minute to meet up with the others who were coming. In addition to Steve, Tony, and Amanda, Nat and Bucky were making appearances.

"I can't resist a good meeting," Nat said. "I have my special red note taking pen and everything."

"I came mostly to guard my namesake," Bucky said with a grin.

Sharon rubbed her belly. "If you could convince little Jamie to stop tap dancing on my bladder for the duration of the meeting, that would be useful."

"He only listens to Wanda," Steve complained.

"That better not continue after he's out."

There was a light tap on the door and Vandi, the royal secretary who had been helping Sharon plan all of this, stuck her head in. "Secretary Coleman is in the meeting room, whenever you're ready."

"Thank you, Vandi," Sharon said, then turned to the others. "Shall we?"

"I really hope this goes better than last time," Tony said as they all started walking.

Amanda snorted a laugh. "It would almost have to."

"I really doubt Coleman is setting us up for a fall," Sharon said, for what might have been the twentieth time.

"Time to find out." Steve pulled the meeting room door open and they filed in.

She was alone, at the far end of the table. She hadn't even brought the ambassador along. "Hello," she said. "I'm Evelyn Coleman. Thanks for meeting me."

Sharon crossed the room as the fastest waddle she could manage, and shook her hand. "Sharon Rogers, nice to meet you in person. This is Captain Rogers, Mr. Stark, Dr. Newbury-Barnes, Sergeant Barnes and Mrs. Barton."

Coleman nodded to the rest of them. She was a tall, heavyset woman in her early fifties with a short bob of silver hair and a pair of reading glasses she fiddled with. "Thank you all for joining me. I know you don't have the best history with these sort of meetings."

"Considering the last one turned us into refugees, not really, no," Steve said.

"I don't anticipate that being the outcome of this meeting," she said with a little smile.

Sharon waved at them all to take their seats, sitting herself on Coleman's right. "You have the floor, Ms. Secretary."

She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. "As you may know, the previous administration green lit a few . . . questionable projects. Part of President Seaborne's mission in his first 100 days was dismantling these projects or, barring that, counteracting any harm they had done. One of these was a pet project of former Secretary Ross."

With a tap on her computer the screen behind her lit up with the words "Enhanced Force." "Operation Enhanced Force was listed as a weapons R&D in the DOD database. In reality, it was a recruitment program for enhanced youth. An effort to create an Avengers team out of easily molded and controlled teenagers. It had six 'successes.' You met them in Siberia two years ago."

"I swear the one I was fighting was like twelve," Bucky said.

Coleman tapped the computer again and a picture of a teenage boy with a mop of dark brown hair and ears he was still growing into. "Peter Parker. Currently seventeen. He's from Queens, New York. Three years ago he was on a school trip to an experimental lab and was bitten by a spider that had been genetically manipulated. After that, he began to display heightened agility and strength. He fabricated a version of the webbing he fought you with when he was fourteen. Ross and his people found him in a homemade suit stringing up muggers."

Another click and a new picture popped up, of a pretty Asian girl with a pony tail. "Kate Bishop," Coleman continued. "Currently twenty one. Formerly an Upper West Side socialite she also took up vigilanteism after an attack in the park. An expert archer and fencer, she's also an accomplished gymnast. Bit of a chip on her shoulder, but that seems to be a trend with these kids."

"You've met them," Sharon said quietly.

"I have," Coleman replied with a nod. "Several times."

"There was also someone in a suit," Tony said. "An Iron Man suit. You know that's patented. Was that a kid, too? They had a Pietro and a supersoldier, too."

"That guy sure as hell wasn't twelve," Steve said. "There was one that shrunk, too. Ripped the hell out of Sam's wings."

Coleman looked momentarily flummoxed, as if contemplating how to answer all of their questions at once. Sharon waved a hand. "Just keep going, they like to jump ahead."

The Secretary nodded and clicked again. Now a picture of a guy with jet black hair and three days of stubble filled the screen, looking at the camera like he wanted to kill it or fuck it. "Nate Richards," Coleman said.

"It's like you combined Bucky and Tony," Nat commented.

Coleman smirked. "He was the one in the suit," she said. "He's also twenty one. He was fished out of juvie, serving ten years for hacking. The new suit is a combination of Stark, Chitauri, and Asgardian tech, cobbled together from rubble of various battles. It requires a neural link to function, which Nate agreed to have implanted in return for generous compensation."

A new picture popped up, of a smiling girl with dark skin and a head scarf. "Kamala Khan, eighteen. She's the speedster, but her strength also rivals that of a supersoldier. She was visiting family in Pakistan when the Battle of Sokovia happened. Falling debris struck her in the chest and abdomen and surgeons were unable to remove it all. Most of the shrapnel was vibranuim. Over the course of a few days her body. . . absorbed it. When she woke up she was hale and hearty, with enhanced strength and speed."

Amanda let out a low whistle at that and Coleman gestured to her. "Kamala is one of the reasons I wanted you involved in this meeting. Eli is the other." She clicked and the picture changed to that of a broad shouldered African American man. "Eli Bradley is twenty. He was eighteen when you fought him. His great-grandfather was a man named Isiah Bradley, the sole survivor of the Tuskegee Serum experiments."

"There were no survivors of the Tuskegee Experiments," Amanda said immediately.

Coleman looked grim. "There was one."

"There's an urban legend about that," Steve said. "Maybe more factual than previously thought. That there was a Black version of me, the lone survivor of some _very_ unethical serum experiments. Sam told me it's a pretty commonly repeated story in the community, but he thought it was just that."

"That was Ike Bradley," Coleman confirmed. "He single handedly freed two POW and concentration camps that we know of. I'm told he tried to live a quiet life once returning home, though would dabble in heroics when gangs of drug dealers threatened his neighborhood. He fathered a son who went on to have a son and daughter. Eli is the grandaughter's son. His serum attributes proved to be hereditary, at least to his male descendants. We don't have a lot of information on his son, but Eli is as strong, if not a little stronger, than either Captain Rogers or Sergeant Barnes."

"I feel like there's a really big 'but' coming," Amanda commented.

Coleman sighed. "There is. Ike Bradley died before his fiftieth birthday, suffering from extreme dementia and extensive mental deterioration. His son and grandson have similar stories. Eli's uncle is in a long-term care facility. Otherwise, Eli is the only surviving male member of the family."

"Well this would have been useful information any time in the last decade," Bucky said. 

"I learned it about six weeks ago," Coleman replied and Amanda put a hand on Bucky's arm.

The Secretary cleared her throat and tapped her computer one more time, putting up a picture of a brunette girl with a mischievous smile. "Cassie Lang, eighteen. She's the one that shrinks. Her father worked off-the-books for a man named Pym."

"Hank Pym?" Tony asked with a arched brow.

"The same. Cassie's father disappeared on one of his missions for Pym and she never received any good answers for it. A few years back she broke into Pym's labs and found a suit that allows the wearer to shrink in size. Apparently, her father used a similar one to do some corporate espionage work for Pym. Shrink too small and it seems you can't get back. Cassie took the suit she found and started playing Robin Hood with it until Ross tracked her down and recruited her."

Coleman closed her laptop, turning the projection screen black. "The six members of Enhanced Force are still living in government housing, though they are not going on active missions. They are not, by any stretch of the imagination, a functioning team. But many of them believe in helping the world. Some have no other options or skills. Some, like Kamala and Peter, are dealing with being very different in a world that's not always kind to different people." She took a breath. "It is our request - our hope - that some or all of you come and work with them. Train them, teach them." She looked at Amanda and added, "There is no one on Earth who knows the serum better than you. If anyone can help Eli, it's you."

There was a moment of silence around the table, then Tony said, "Well, Clint will be excited. You know how much he loves collecting strays."

Nat snorted and covered her face, probably to hide the laughter.

Sharon ignored them. "We need to discuss this with the team," she told Coleman. "And we'll have some terms and conditions on coming back and working with these kids."

"Immunity," Nat said. "From whatever fake crimes they dug up. Nobody's coming without that."

"And none of that bullshit about registering our kids," Steve added. 

Coleman nodded. "Of course. You set the terms. We have no interest in registering or monitoring anyone. And any immunity will apply whether you come or not. As far as this administration is concerned you are all welcome in the States."

"There are definitely some of us who wouldn't come unless you put Ross on the RAFT," Tony said. "But we'll float the idea."

"And I'll float that one at the next cabinet meeting," Coleman said, with enough venom Sharon believed her.

She stood and stifled a groan at the ache in her back and hips. "We'll be in touch, Secretary Coleman. Would it be possible to have copies of those dossiers?"

The other woman handed her a flash drive while gathering up her things. "Thank you all for hearing me out."

Once she was gone, Steve turned to look at Sharon. "Okay. Now we have a meeting with everyone." 

"I'm already sending the email," Nat said.

An hour later they were in a comfortable sitting room elsewhere in the palace, the whole group gathered around while she, Steve, and Amanda reported on what they'd just been told.

"I think we should do it," Clint said, unsurprisingly.

Tony put his arms in the air. "Called it."

Nat threw a berry at him, which he managed to catch in his mouth. Shaking her head, she addressed the group. "I'm also in favor of going. Seems a better use of my skills than the Wakandan Intelligence Agency."

"She really wants to teach the spider guy how to kill people with her thighs," Bucky said, earning him a thrown berry as well. 

"I don't trust them," Wanda said. "I'm not saying you shouldn't. I just can't go back there. Not with my children who may have inherited enhancements of their own."

"It wasn't an all or nothing question," Sharon assured her. "If some want to stay behind and others go, it's fine. We just need to decide who is doing what." Much as it made her heart ache to think she wouldn't see some of them as often, she knew they had to do what was best for each of their individual families.

"If Wanda stays, I stay," Pietro said.

"I can't go either," Bruce said. "Everything else aside, I can't uproot the kids again. They've already moved three times for me."

"I have to go," Amanda said and Bucky reached over to hold her hand. "I have to help Eli, if I can. And they'll need a medic."

"They'll need a shrink, too," Lani added.

"Pepper and I and the kids will continue moving like nomads," Tony said. "But I'm willing to help." He shrugged. "A different sort of 'not all-or-nothing': research can be done from Wakanda. People can travel. If there are people here that those kids can learn from, ship them over for a summer." 

"Like study abroad programs in college," Bruce said.

Sharon had been jotting down a list. "So, Steve and I. The Bartons. The Wilsons. The Barnses. Thor?"

He shook his head. "I believe I will continue to focus of my inter-realm duties as well as Jane's work. But, as Tony said, if my help is needed I would be happy to pitch in."

"I will stay here," Vision said. "Partly for Ada. Partly because I am not sure the government considers me a person. I may be seen as an object, and objects are owned and can be 'confiscated'."

The Rhodes were traveling and hadn't responded to Nat's email yet. Sharon guessed they'd take Tony's route or possibly move back to the States but not train full time. Rhodey had been more-or-less retired since the back injury anyway.

And that just left - "What's the verdict, Bennets?"

Darcy and Cal had been murmuring in the corner while the rest of them spoke. Now Darcy turned to the rest of them. "I am totally up for the sexy Headmistress portion of my life."

Sharon made a note, and then Wanda quietly said, "Everyone is sad."

There was a moment of silence, then Bruce said, "We worked hard to stay together and now we're separating anyway."

"I feel compelled to point out this is not 1848," Tony said. "Where Uncle Jed is packing up half the family and departing on the Oregon Trail, never to be seen again save for the monthly letter. There are airplanes, phones, the internet and even holographic video communication."

"He has a point," Amanda said. "We have our own damn planes. If anyone needs anything or wants a visit it's pretty low hassle. And we can get together for holidays and births and such."

Pietro tucked an arm around his sister. "Look at it this way. We still have a big crazy family. It's just going to be more spread out."

"Crazy family is better with distance," Darcy added.

"And everyone will be safe," Steve said. "That's what matters."

"Yes," Sharon confirmed. "I'll get to work on our terms tonight and that is going to be the top of the list."

Their time in Wakanda had been a long stretch of peace for the group of them, and there was probably also some desire to ground themselves, to move forward with their lives as much as was still possible. Whatever the reason, their collected family had eight babies since evacuating from the compound in Ithaca. 

Sharon delivered number nine in a completely routine and boring surgery, which she got to be awake for. She got to hear his first cry and see him right after he came out. Wakandan tradition was to pass the baby to mom right over the drape, so she got to hold him when he was less than a minute old.

He was _enormous_.

They draped him with a towel, which she used to wipe off his back and face. His crying had downgraded to disgruntled noises and rooting, so she shifted him to her breast so he could snack.

"Steve, you want to cut the cord?" Amanda had scrubbed in, mostly to observe. The Wakandan doctors were more than capable of a routine c-section, but at this point Amanda had been witness to every birth in the group and wanted to keep the tradition going.

Steve was grinning ear to ear. "I would love that. This is a lot nicer than last time."

"A little less panic and terror, yes."

"I approve," Sharon agreed, kissing her son's head.

"Better than my last delivery, too," Amanda said. She'd delivered Ora and Pietro's second, born less than a year after the first. The baby had come so fast that she'd been born in the Barnes's living room, where Pietro had run his wife in a panic. The story had made for lots of laughs.

Jamie finished his snack and Amanda took him to get weighed and properly cleaned up while they finished closing Sharon up. Steve puttered at Amanda's heels and got to carry the baby as they moved them to the recovery room.

"I can't get over how big he is," Steve said, sounding awed.

"I know, right? Joey was like four or five months before he took up that much of my chest."

"Welcome to life with a healthy baby. I've heard tale of his magical fantasy land."

"What will we do with ourselves? Being able to have visitors and not freaking out about germs."

"We'll be able to take more showers." They reached the recovery room, and once settled Steve put the baby back in her arms. 

He was dozing, so she leaned back on her pillows and sighed. "I feel surprisingly good for post abdominal surgery."

"Wakandans have good drugs." He rubbed her leg, though she couldn't feel it. "I'm so proud of you."

She laughed. "I appreciate it, but I don't think I did much."

"I mean for everything. The truce negotiations. Baking Jamie so well."

"I am very proud of both of those things." She looked down at Jamie. "Ready to move back to New York?"

He sighed. "I don't know. It's like life's going in a circle, you know? You and I moving back into the Tower. It was just us when we left, now we have a family." After a great deal of debate and discussion, they had decided to headquarter the training program in Stark Tower. The entire team would spend time at the compound upstate in the summer, but since they had no dangerous members and everyone missed the city. . .the city it was.

"I don't think it's a circle," Sharon said. "It's a cycle. Those kids need guidance. Adults they can trust who will have their best interests at heart. And I do think we're the ones for the job. All of us."

"I wish everyone was coming," he said with a sigh. "I mean, I completely understand, but. . ." he shrugged. "It's going to take some getting used to."

"It is." She was going to miss the people they were leaving behind. And Tony and Pepper, who they'd probably see more often, but still wouldn't be day-to-day fixtures in their lives. "But all families change. I like to think in the long run it will be good."

"I'm exhausted by life upheavals. I hope we settled a little."

"We had two good years here. And this move means we're free citizens in every country again." She touched Jamie's cheek. "I'll be nice to see my family again." Her parents had come out for a visit once right before she got pregnant. But it was a long trip and she hadn't seen her brothers in person in years.

That seemed to make Steve smile. "The boys need grandparents."

"And Dad's gonna love meeting his namesake." Her father's name was Harrison, which, conveniently, was the last name of not one, but two presidents. So James Harrison Rogers had been an easy decision.

He leaned forward to kiss the top of the baby's head. "For right now, I think we should just take it easy and get to know this little guy."

"That sounds like an excellent plan, Cap."


	2. A Time to Heal

Darcy had a certain affinity for what life might be like for military families, hopping from base to base. In the last ten years, she'd moved from Ohio to New Mexico, from New Mexico to London, from London to New York City, from New York City to Ithaca, and Ithaca to Wakanda. She'd started as a naive college student and ended up the Avengers' Right Hand Man.

Now she was a mother, and she was going back to New York.

"So, I have good news and bad news," she told Cal at dinner during a break from packing.

"That's not at all ominous," he replied, cutting fruit in little pieces for Frances, their 18-month-old daughter.

"The apartments aren't ready."

He dumped the fruit on Frances's plate. "I hope that was the bad news."

"It is. The good news is that Stark still owns a hotel, so we're getting a penthouse instead of government housing."

"Good. If you'd said there was another trailer, I was going vote for staying in Wakanda."

They'd spent a very uncomfortable winter in a trailer in Ithaca while supervising the building of the compound. It hadn't been fun as newlyweds. No way would she do it with a toddler.

"The foreman promises me it'll be livable in two weeks. I'm hoping if I'm there to pester him in person I can get it down to ten days."

"I think you traumatized the foreman at the compound for life."

"Nonsense. That man respected a strong, opinionated woman when he met one."

Frances threw her plate up in the air, fruit flying everywhere. Her daughter was certainly strong and opinionated.

They flew out two days later, with a stack of suitcases. The rest of their stuff would be coming later, once they had a proper apartment set up. The hotel was as nice as advertised. Frances especially liked jumping on the bed.

Darcy's mom came in later the same day. She'd be staying in the hotel, in a separate room, to help watch Frances while they were both busy with work. Eventually, Darcy would find some proper nannies and set up a day care at the Tower for everyone's kids. For now, Mom was excited to meet her grandbaby and Frances was marveling at a grandma who didn't live in the computer.

"She's totally confused," Cal said. "She really thought Grandma was an app."

"If her mind doesn't get blown periodically she's never going to make it in this family."

"I'll give you that." He leaned over to kiss her temple. "I'm going to go over to the tower and see what horrible things they did to my server room."

"Be strong," she told him. "I'm meeting the new team to go over any requests for their apartments."

"I didn't know they were up here yet. You need backup?"

"I'll be all right. I'm still young enough to be cool, right?"

"I think they confiscate your cool card when you take your baby home from the hospital."

She sighed dramatically. "They never mention that in the literature." She kissed him goodbye when they hit the lobby and headed to the meeting room she'd reserved for this.

Secretary Coleman had personally escorted the team up from DC. Apparently a few of them were from New York and were eager to get back home, hence arriving early. Coleman had assured Darcy that they'd taken care of housing for them in the interim.

The Secretary met her at the meeting room door. Darcy had only spoken to the woman via email and phone, so they took a couple minutes to exchange pleasantries. Had you told her ten-year-ago self she'd be telling the female secretary of State about her flight in a private jet one day, she would have asked if she could have what you were smoking.

"They're closing ranks a bit. But I think they'll be polite."

"Polite's all I ask."  
 Coleman nodded and opened the door. Darcy followed her inside. Six people ringed the table and for a moment she was speechless.

They were so _young_.

All of them were younger than she'd been in New Mexico with Jane. They would have been even younger when they fought the gang two years ago. And now here she was, another adult who was going to tell them what was going to happen. Darcy suddenly felt very old and kind of angry.

"Hi," she said, straightening her shoulders. "I'm Darcy Bennet and my super power is getting shit done."

She'd gone over the files on the flight over, so she knew who everyone was. Eli Bradley and Kate Bishop sat closest to her, opposite each other. The rest of the team was quite literally behind them, and she got the sense that was very deliberate. They exchanged a look, then Kate asked, "So you're our new handler?"

"No," she said carefully. "That's - that's not how we do things." Clearly she was going to need to start at square one. Or maybe somewhere several blocks behind square one.

Sitting at the end of the table, she folded her hands on the smooth, glossy surface. "Okay, starting over. I'm the coordinator/quartermaster for the original team. I keep things running smoothly. Sharon Carter is still sorting out how this is all going to work, but they sent me ahead because A) I don't have a newborn and B) I wasn't on the Accords packet and it was easier to make me not a fugitive. My only goal is to help you guys move into the Tower and comfortably as possible. And to start getting an idea of what you want from the team."

"Don't know that we have wants," Eli said. "We're just weapons they point at shit." 

"We want rooms that are nicer than military barracks," Kate said, giving him a look.

From behind her, Nate Richards piped up, "And to not go back to jail."

"Sharon's working on terms," Darcy told them. "But immunity is at the top of the page, don't worry about that. And the apartments will be way nicer than anything the military has ever stuck you in. They'll be ready in about two weeks, less if the site foreman is susceptible to glares over the top of glasses. The Tower will have on-site medical care, training rooms, a gym, a pool, games rooms. It's also equipped with an AI named FRIDAY. She has an Irish accent. We don't know why, Tony Stark is weird. She'll function as a virtual butler for you." She paused, studying them a moment. They were so fucking young. "Do any of you have, like, parents or anything you'd like to stay with you?"

That might have been the wrong thing to say. She could almost feel the lot of them bristle. "We're adults," Kate said.

She was still trying to formulate the proper response when Peter piped up from the other side of Nate, "I have an aunt. . ."

Peter was the only one of them not yet over eighteen. And with his mop of dark curls and gangly limbs he kind of reminded Darcy of teenage pictures of Cal she'd seen. She was extremely grateful he'd spoken up so she hadn't had to remind Kate that no, they weren't.

"What's her name?" she asked instead, aiming for friendly if businesslike.

"May Parker. She lives in Queens."

Darcy jotted that down. "I'll find her."

Kate was staring at her. It was almost a scowl. Then Eli said, "We've been taking care of ourselves and each other for a while."

That didn't surprise her a bit, though it explained a few things. Darcy looked at Eli a moment, then scanned the rest of them, meeting Kate's gaze for an equal amount of time. She really should have brought Lani for this. She always knew exactly how to settle ruffled feathers.

But she was Darcy Bennet and her superpower was getting shit done. So she was gonna get this done.

"When I was your age I wouldn't have listened to a pep talk from someone my age, but here it goes." She cleared her throat. "I get that it's been you guys against the world for a long time. Believe it or not, I've been there a time or two. With a lot less people to lean on than you seem to have. You guys are a family. And no one on my team wants to jeopardize that. 'Cause we're a family, too. What we'd like, hopefully, eventually, is to find a way to blend those families. We're not the government. We're not the military. We're a bunch of misfits and fuck-ups who found each other and stuck together no matter who or what tried to tear us apart. I'm guessing you guys get that. And if you give us a chance - if you give _them_ a chance - you will never find anyone more loyal."

"They didn't kill us," Eli said. "Two years ago. Given what I now know was at stake, they probably should have. So, yeah, seems worth a chance."

Darcy turned and looked at Kate. She had a closed off, sullen look. Darcy had the distinct feeling she knew the right thing to do and was annoyed by it. Which was an emotion she understood.

"Sure," she said finally. She even managed not to sound pouty when she did it. Darcy was calling that a win.

That seemed to signal to the rest of them that this was, in fact, okay. The requests began immediately. Kamala wanted a tub. Nate wanted a hidden door. Peter didn't want to be next door to Nate. Cassie wanted to make sure her carpet would be new. "You have no idea how disgusting carpet is up close."

Darcy paused in her note taking and looked at her. "Would hard wood be better?"

She shook her head. "Nah, I fall through the cracks. Just new carpet. Low pile."

"Got it." She jotted it down and underlined it before asking, "Anything else?"

"I want a view of the river," Kate said, the first thing she'd actually requested since giving the okay.

"It's pretty far up," Darcy said. "All the views are-"

"There's a park on the other side of the building." Her voice was clipped and angry. "Madison Square Park. I don't want to see it. I want to be on the river side."

The table was suddenly very tense and quiet. Darcy again wished she'd brought Lani here. All she could do was write down "Kate on the Park Ave side" and turn it so the girl could see.

Kate nodded and slumped back in her chair again.

"Don't suppose I could get a window that opens?" Peter asked. "Or like a balcony?"

She frowned. "I think there's some building codes against that, but there's usually a work around. I'll see what I can do. If it can't be in your apartment is somewhere like the common room okay?"

"Yeah, sure. I'm just looking forward to have a skyscraper I can climb without people calling the police."

"The Tower neighbors gave up on calling the police a long time ago," Darcy agreed. "I'll try and make it work for you."

He grinned. "Thank you."

There were a few more random requests, but they had mostly run out of steam. Darcy handed out her brand new business card with her new, US cell number on it. "If you think of anything else or if there's anything I can help you guys find in the interim, let me know. Otherwise I'll see you at move in in a couple weeks."

There was a murmur of assent. She stood up, but none of them did. It was an odd, awkward moment. She couldn't think of what to say - which was a feat - so she just gave them a little nod and let herself out of the meeting room. She was starting down the hall when the door opened and Eli came out. "Ma'am?" he called.

She turned immediately and offered him a smile. "Yeah?"

"Where do we go?"

Hesitantly, she asked, "You guys don't have housing? My government contact said they'd find you guys a place."

He lifted a shoulder. "They gave Cassie and Nate hotel vouchers that would barely cover a hostel, and told the rest of us we were within 50 miles of our legal addresses, so we should go there." He shook his head. "You know what, never mind we'll figure it out."

Darcy stared. "Oh hell, no. Fuck that." Striding back towards the room, she pulled her phone out. Eli ducked out of her way as she went back in. She was going to give Secretary Coleman an earful later. For now, she was going to do what she did best.

"Hey, Josh," she said when the hotel manager answered. "It's Darcy Bennet."

"Darcy!" he sounded glad to hear from her, which was probably gonna change in ten seconds. "How's the penthouse?"

"It's great, thanks. Listen, I have six team members that need rooms. Same floor, private, suites would be best."

There was a pause on the other end. "Tonight?"

"Immediately. And for the next two weeks, until the Tower is up and running."

"Um. I'm not sure—"

"Josh, I have six Avengers with no where to sleep tonight. That's not a problem I like having. It's a problem I'd prefer not to have to tell Mr. Stark about. So I really need you to help me out before it comes to that." The trick was to make them think they're being the good guy while still insinuating you're capable of being the bad guy.

"Okay," he said. "I'll figure it out."

"Great." They said their goodbyes and she hung up and looked at the group who were all staring at her. "You guys hungry? Who wants lunch?"

"I'm always hungry," Eli said.

She took them to the hotel restaurant and, after several assurances that they could eat anything they liked - or multiple things, in Eli's case - they seemed to loosen up. Darcy felt a bit like a mom taking out her gaggle of kids, but it was a small price to pay to see them smiling and teasing each other.

Her phone pinged with a text from Cal. _Where'd you get off to?_

_I'm at the restaurant. I took the fledglings to lunch. I may have adopted them. It's a long story._

_I really can only handle the one kid we have..._

_Eh, they seem mostly self-sufficient. Something up? We're almost done._

_No just wondering what happened._

She briefly considered telling him about the government just dropping the kids here, but figured it was too much even for her master texting skills. _I'll explain when I see you._

Her phone rang before Cal could reply, and it was Josh from the hotel. "Can I use two different floors?"

She'd been prepared for much worse, so she said, "Sure, as long as no one is alone on a floor."

"Not a problem. Rooms will be ready in about an hour."

"Fantastic. Thanks, Josh, I appreciate it."

When she hung up, Eli asked, "You find us bunks?"

"I did. Rooms will be ready in an hour, so we still have time to kill. Anything else I can do for you guys? Shopping spree?"

Later, after spending way too much of Stark's money on her little foundlings, and tucking them into their new hotel rooms, Darcy curled up in bed next to a sleeping Cal and found she couldn't drift off as easily. After tossing and turning for far too long, she grabbed her phone off the charging station on the night stand and typed a text message to Sharon Rogers.

_You guys better get your responsible adult asses over here soon 'cause Ross fucked these guys over way worse than advertised._

There was no immediate reply, which she expected. Sending it unwound her enough to fall asleep, which was all she had been hoping for.

In the morning there was a message waiting, however.

_ETA May 4th. Hang in there._


	3. A Time to Gather Stones Together

Jamie Rogers was just shy of a month old when they got the last of the paperwork signed. Amanda wasn't sure what exactly they were calling it. A contract, an expungement. Steve called it a truce. Whatever it was, it made them all free citizens again. There had been a lot of back and forth, a lot of posturing. After Darcy and Cal had gone back to start setting things up, Darcy had sent Sharon a text - Amanda still didn't know the exact wording - that had lit a fire under Sharon. She'd started kicking ass as only a sleep deprived mother of a newborn could, and soon they had an actual agreement, with signatures on it. 

The rest of them slowly packed and made arrangements. Everyone had acclimated to Wakanda to different degrees. Amanda had the sense the Bennets had always been a little restless, and were happy to be back in New York. Their daughter, Frances, was barely over a year, and would probably handle the new environment just fine. Amanda, meanwhile, was in charge of an entire lab worth of people and spent two weeks shuffling her responsibilities to other people and trying the organize who would be coming with her and who would continue on in Wakanda.

The same plane that had evacuated them brought them back, full of less-hastily packed containers of possessions. The last night before departure they threw a goodbye party. There was a lot of crying.

Bright and early the next morning they loaded the last of their bags and there was one final round of hugging and crying. Most of the kids were too young to know what all the fuss was about. But Ada Banner was in the hug line with the adults, promising to see everyone in a few years when she went to college. "Maybe I'll build your team things," she told Steve after he'd put her down from his bear hug. "Like Uncle Tony did for you guys."

Steve grinned at her. "Nothing would make me happier."

Finally the last of them let go and they boarded the plane, Clint at the stick. It was going to be a long flight, so Tony was tagging along as well, to spell him. 

Amanda was not a great flyer in the best of circumstances, and two small children didn't add to the fun at all. Edie hated planes with a fire and Roger - while less vocal - was clearly weirded out but the whole thing. So she and James split duties and she found herself pacing the length of the plane with her son strapped to her chest, trying to read a true crime novel on her tablet propped on his head.

She passed Steve several times, clearly doing the same thing with Jamie. When Roger started settling a bit, she decided to detour and peek in on Sharon in the berth assigned to the Rogers.

She was reading Joey a book about dinosaurs when Amanda poked her head in the berth. "Your husband and I have passed each other in the hallway four times," she said when Sharon looked up.

"I see Roger isn't any more a fan of planes than Edie?" Sharon said with a smile.

"Nope. My kids are clearly land animals."

"Where's Edie?"

"James and Clint are throwing a ball around for her. It seems to be grounding. How can we be in a plane if we can play ball, right?"

"Kid logic is easily manipulatable."

"Handy, that."

Joey leaned over the edge of the bed to dig in her bag for another book. Sharon hooked a finger through his belt loop to hold him on. "Looking forward to New York?"

Amanda bounced a little to make Roger giggle. "I am, actually. I'll miss my team in Wakanda." And her beautiful, bespoke labs. "But I'm getting an all new lab and a bunch of my old Ithaca people are coming back. Plus I have a niece I've never met and my dad's not getting any younger. It'll be nice to be home." Her sister Jessie sent pictures like she was paparazzi and her daughter was the latest diva. But it wasn't the same as meeting her. Or watching her play with her cousins.

Sharon nodded. "I'm looking forward to seeing my family, too. Introduce Jamie. See them for Christmas." 

Roger started to fuss and Amanda sighed. "Back on the march. I'll send Steve your love if I pass him in the trenches again."

"Thanks. Good luck."

It was a long flight. Roger eventually fell asleep so she was able to go to the main area and hang out with the others for a while. Someone had tossed some card decks and board games onto the plane and that entertained them for a while. Lani and Sam passed out meals and eventually everyone settled in to sleep.

James had volunteered to spend the night in the chairs, since the berth really wasn't big enough for all four of them. So she crammed in the bed with both kids. Edie slept like the dead, but Roger clambered over her and managed to stick a limb into her ribs or throat every time he shifted. All in all, she thought her husband got the better end of the deal.

She gave up on sleeping after a while and read on her tablet, rubbing Roger's back when he shifted. By the time everyone else was up, the plane was on approach to New York. They had to land a Laguardia because of how big the plane was.

Amanda got up to watch the city get closer through one of the plane windows feeling an odd mix of sorrow and excitement. They had had a life in Wakanda and she was going to miss that. But this was a new chapter in her life, one of many in recent years. And surrounded by her found-family of misfits, she thought it would work out okay.

There was a bit of chaos when they landed and people got their carry on stuff and split up into the town cars Tony had arranged for. There were moving vans waiting to bring their stuff over later. 

Being in the Tower, going up the elevators, was a strange, nostalgic experience. It felt familiar—she'd lived here, she'd rode this elevator every day. But it had been a long time, and so much had happened. They were different people.

The top stories were still apartments, though with the size of their families there was now only one or two per floor. Cal and Darcy had been living in a hotel during construction, but had moved to one of the team apartments in anticipation of their arrival.

They'd been emailed their rooming assignments and once everyone had dropped their bags and changed the necessary diapers, they reconvened up in the penthouse.

The Bennets were already up there, as was Tony, who was tossing Frances in the air, much to her squealing delight. Darcy took a moment to exclaim over how big Jamie was and insist the other kids had grown. Then they all sat in the big comfortable couches lining the conversation pit-thing Tony seemed to love so much. It was a little nostalgic, if Amanda was being honest. There was a certain feeling of time rewinding to one of the many parties or meetings they'd had up there.

Darcy stood at the open end of the ring of couches and everyone settled, giving her their attention. Except for Frances, who was clearly not okay with _not_ being the center of attention. She promptly went over to her mother and yanked on her shirt. So Darcy scooped her up and propped her on her hip before talking.

"Okay, the Jr crew is downstairs in their rumpus room waiting to meet you all. I don't know what you guys are expecting, but I wanted to take a moment and prepare you." She shifted Frances so she could cover her ear with one hand and press the other ear into her chest. "These kids are fucked up."

"Could you be more specific?" Lani asked after a moment of silence.

Frances wiggled, so Darcy put her down and Cal reached out to sling her into his lap. "The government, near as I can tell, treated them like pieces of property more than soldiers or people. When they brought them up here they didn't arrange them anywhere to stay, just gave the non-locals vouchers and told the locals to go stay with their families, regardless of current relationship warmth."

"Are most of them without warmth?" Tony asked, tone a little grim.

Tipping her head back, Darcy ticked them off on her fingers. "Peter's parents are dead, only family he has left is an Aunt, who's living here with him since he's not legally an adult. May is awesome, makes terrible cookies, very protective of Peter. Eli's mom and sister are also crashing here for a while. Her landlord was a shit and evicted them so he could turn the building into condos, so while they're hunting they're using one of the unused apartments. Sarah is also awesome, eat any of her cooking you like, she's protective of everyone, including me so watch yourselves. FRIDAY reports Nate calls his folks pretty often, Kamala visits her family in Jersey weekly, but seems to have some very strict boundaries in place. Cassie and her mom don't get along very well - something about a step dad she doesn't like. Katie doesn't really share about her personal life."

"Do you know anything about how they were trained before?" Nat asked.

"From what I've managed to gather from conversation, they were initially kept separate. Training, living, everything. They sort of knew there were other people in the program, but they all didn't meet until the plane ride out to fight you guys in Siberia."

There was a round of muttered curses around the room. "That explains a lot about how that fight turned out," Amanda commented.

Darcy raised her brows and nodded. "Yeah. After that, the powers-that-be apparently decided they needed to be a team. So then they were thrust together and ordered to work together. I pause here to remind you they were teenagers at this time." She paused for people to wince and groan. "Cassie gossips enough I'm pretty sure none of them dipped their ink in the company well."

"That is a shockingly outdated metaphor for you," Tony said.

"There are children present," Darcy replied without a pause. "They now currently seem to be at 'sibling' in terms of attraction, so that's good."

James rubbed a hand over his face. "So we have a bunch of questionably trained kids with less than stellar homes lives and several years of being treated like shit. That about sum it up?"

"Yup," Darcy agreed with a little nod.

"Any advice?" Steve asked her.

To no one's surprise, Darcy nodded again. "Y'all are gonna need to be parents as much as trainers. Adults have lied to and used these kids so you've got an uphill climb getting them to trust you. I suggest you spend a lot of time pre-training getting to know them. Pair up, become mentors one-on-one. Basically, you guys need to adopt these kids or they're never going to see you as anything but the enemy."

There was a moment of somber silence. None of them had really known what they were going to find here, but what Darcy had described was about what Amanda would have guessed. The people in this room had all, collectively, saved the world more than once. But somehow being responsible for these kids seemed extremely intimidating.

Before anyone had thought of anything to say, Amanda's phone buzzed in her pocket. Based on the little jumps she saw around the room, at least a few other people's had as well. She dug it out of her pocket to find a new text from Maria Hill greeting her. _Turn on the news._

After the debacle of the accords and their Wakandan exile, Maria had chosen to stay in England with her not-a-boyfriend. She worked for Stark for a while, running things on Pepper's behalf until Sharon built up enough good will for her and Tony to travel in Europe. Then Maria had "retired" to help the not-a-boyfriend with his business. Amanda wasn't entirely sure what that business _was_ because whenever you asked Maria about it she spouted vague buzz words and smiled mysteriously.

They'd had a Wives Club Weekend in Paris last year. Maria had seemed happy. She was now willing to call not-a-boyfriend her boyfriend and even told them his name was James, which had amused Amanda far too much. When they'd been offered amnesty and begun making plans to move back to the states, Sharon had made a point of inviting Maria to join them but she'd demurred. They had a life in London and there wasn't a lot of use in upending it. She was excited about "taking projects stateside," though, which Sharon had wisely not questioned further.

People were still frowning at their phones when Tony looked up and said, "FRIDAY, put on CNN."

One wall near the couches lit up, and there was a flurry of shuffling as people turned to look. On the screen was grainy footage of Secretary Ross, hands behind his back and flanked by two angry looking men in suits, walking down a set of stones steps outside some sort of government building. There were tickers and sidebars full of information, but nothing that told Amanda what he was getting arrested for.

"-complete list of charges released," the anchor was saying in voice over. "But Washington insiders say it includes human rights violations, violations of the Geneva Convention, exploitation of minors, and abuse of his power as Secretary of State. Secretary Ross will be held at the infamous RAFT prison until his hearings begin. Current Secretary of State Coleman released this statement in conjunction with the arrest."

The picture changed to show Secretary Coleman at a press conference, her tortoiseshell reading glasses perched on her nose. "Thaddeus Ross has served his country for decades, in many different ways. And nothing that comes out in the upcoming days and weeks will change the undeniable good he has done. But it has become apparent to me and to the current administration that not all of his actions have been for the good of the American people. I am not at liberty to go into detail regarding the evidence against him, other than to say it is sufficient for his arrest and trial.

"We live in dangerous times," she continued, glancing up at the cameras. "And it is easy in those times to ignore protocol in the interest of getting the job done. But that is not my way and it is not the American way. Secretary Ross seems to have forgotten this. And he has also forgotten that in a time of gods and monsters it is most important to remain human. Thank you."

CNN switched back to the anchors, who promptly started speculating, so Tony turned it off. There was a moment of shocked silence, then Sharon let out a sound that was almost a giggle and said, "Holy shit, she did it."

"Darcy-" Tony said.

She was typing something on her phone. "Send her a gift tower, Harry and David, at least seven tiers, on it."

Amanda was surprised at the intense wave of relief that flooded her. Yes, they had had their contracts and amnesty, all carefully negotiated and even more carefully worded by Sharon. But she, and she was guessing a lot of the others, had still felt a little thread of worry. Maybe it was all a trap. Surely there was another shoe that was going to drop.

But with Ross going to the RAFT and all of the things he'd been in charge of being brought to light. . . that was the end of it. The personification of their enemies had just been shoved, handcuffed, into an unmarked car. As second shoes went, it was an awesome one.

"Well," Steve said, sounding more chipper than Amanda had heard him in ages. "That seems like a very nice note to go meet the kids on."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read the new team's adventures here: [Tales From the Tower: The Next Generation](http://archiveofourown.org/series/588424).

**Author's Note:**

> You'll note we had to tweak some powers/origins for some of the Young Avengers and that the team is a bit of a mish-mash. This was a product of picking and choosing characters we felt worked in our universe or that we liked enough to make work. (I really wanted Kamala. And Kate, but she was kind of a no-brainer.) We've tried to keep with the personality shown in the comics, even when other aspects had to be changed.
> 
> These are not, in any way, the only characters we plan to do. If you have a favorite Young or New Avengers character you want to make a case for, message me on Tumblr, not here. I don't promise we'll use them, but we always love to hear about good characters.


End file.
